


The Announcement

by caramelkaren



Category: Doctor Who (1963)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-09
Updated: 2013-06-09
Packaged: 2017-12-14 11:32:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/836425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caramelkaren/pseuds/caramelkaren
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor never planned on visiting Peri again.  Yet the TARDIS happened to land herself practically on her doorstep.  As it turns out, Peri has some important news for him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Announcement

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for [](http://stalkerbunny.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://stalkerbunny.livejournal.com/)**stalkerbunny** for the Sixathon fic exchange. I chose the prompt: " Something with Peri/Yrcanos...Doctor checking up on her? Doctor invited to be their first child's godfather? (Bonus if the Master is not invited and decides to take it as an insult. Bonus 2 if Peladonian royalty also features.)"

It was a rule the Doctor hadn’t realized was a rule. When a companion’s tenure on the TARDIS was over, he didn’t go back for them. He might happen to run into them again, but it was never as if the Doctor went searching for them. (Besides, even if he tried, it’d probably take him one of his lives to find them. The TARDIS was quite finicky about reaching the destinations he wanted it to sometimes.)

So when it was discovered that Peri hadn’t actually died but rather that she was alive, he had a hard time reminding himself of that rule.

Peri was special to the Doctor. No, not in a sort of romantic way. What kind of a Time Lord did you take him for? No, but when you sacrifice one of your regenerations for someone, there is a sort of attachment that forms. This sixth form of his wouldn’t have even existed if it wasn’t for Peri. It also didn’t help that she didn’t leave of her own accord. The other Time Lords had practically abducted him away. The Doctor imagined that Peri must’ve felt abandoned. He would’ve gone back for her and explained everything.

But could he really drop in on her with her new life?

She had gone off and became married to Yrcanos. Now, the Doctor wasn’t an expert on the culture of that warrior kingdom he belonged to, but he did know that marriage had to be consensual for both people. If Peri was married to him, it was because she wanted to be.

The Doctor couldn’t just drop in. Not now. Peri had moved on. Her life was moving along without having all of time and space at her disposal. So he decided that no, he wasn’t going to stop in and check on her.

But he had forgotten the most important rule about his life. The TARDIS never went where he wanted it to, and sometimes that meant it went to where he didn’t want to go.

“Hmmm let’s see, where do I plan on spending my day today?” the Doctor said while navigating around the consol. “I’ve been to Earth one too many times lately, so let’s cross that out...” The Doctor continued to ponder about his destination when he eventually punched a few coordinates into the controls. "I think spending some time in 16th century Jublia would be good. Their cuisine at that time was outstanding, and please no complaining about how it looks, you'll actually quite enjoy it once you've-" The Doctor paused when he realized it was just him. "Oh. Right, traveling solo for now. I mean, I'm not really ready to meet up with Mel again for her first voyage, am I? Haven't ran into her yet. And of course Peri's off living her life. There just isn't anyone worth travelling with that I've found." He wouldn't voice it aloud, but it was quite lonely without a companion to drag around.

When the TARDIS landed, the Doctor was expecting to see the lush navy blue grass and royal purple skies that were so characteristic of Jublia, but when he stepped out, he was instead surrounded by five large warriors, all holding spears out at him. "I've landed on the wrong planet again, haven't I?"

"Who are you, and explain your purpose!" barked the centermost warrior.

"I am the Doctor, _just_ the Doctor. I came here by mistake, see, I was just on my way to Jublia, but obviously this is not it, so I will just be going now..." The Doctor started to back up into the TARDIS, but instead was grabbed on both sides by the outermost men.

"The Doctor did you say? You've been expected."

"I have? By whom?"

"By Her Majesty."

"Not the first time I've been wanted by a queen. All right then, if I'm so expected, let's get moving. Can't keep a queen waiting."

The warriors led the Doctor over towards the palace, which was made from a type of stone that looked similar to marble on Earth. This particular varient was a very pale grey color with caramel swirlings throughout it. Now, the Doctor knew there was something familiar about this. The warriors in particular. He was going to ask where he happened to land, but figured if anything this queen would introduce not just herself, but just exactly where she was ruling. Royalty always did that you know. Always had to boast about just what they were controling, especially to people who didn't live within their jurisdiction.

When he made it inside the palace to the throne room, he saw a woman with a short golden gown and brown hair framed by a diagonally striped gold and brown headband. Then he noticed the face of their queen, and the Doctor knew exactly where he was. "Peri?"

"Doctor!" she beamed. Peri jumped up out of her seat, but when the guard beside her cleared his throat, she sat back down. "Right, I'm not supposed to leave my spot when guests are attending. You have no idea how hard it is to remember all of these rules, Doctor. It's not easy to suddenly be the Warrior Queen of a planet you've never even been to before."

"I can imagine. But Peri, I never thought I'd see you again. You were expecting me?"

"A little foolishly expecting you, but yes. I mean, when the messenger said she'd send some sort of correspondance to fetch you, I had to laugh. How was she supposed to get something to a man who could be anywhere or when? Guess she managed to come through."

"No, I happened to land here accidentally."

"Oh. Worked all the same though."

"So why did you want me here?"

Peri turned to face her guard. "Can I tell him, or do I have to wait for the big announcement tonight?" she whispered.

"I think you can inform him."

Peri nodded and faced back to the Doctor. "I'm pregnant."

"You are? That's wonderful news, Peri!"

Peri couldn't resist herself, she had to leave the seat of the thrown to go give her dear friend a hug. Rules be damned, this was the Doctor visiting.

"There's going to be an official announcement tonight. You know, an heir to the throne is a big deal."

"You're barely showing though, how do you know that it's a boy yet?"

"Oh Doctor, you don't know? It doesn't matter if it's a boy or a girl, whoever's the first born will inherit the crown. For a society that isn't very educated, they are far more advanced in gender equality than Earth at least."

"So you just wanted me here for the announcement of your child? I mean, it's wonderful and all, but-"

"More than that, Doctor. See, with the way the Krontep are such a warrior based society and unafraid to die, every child must be blessed with a secondary guardian to take care of them in case both parents happen to die in battle."

"Are you asking me to be the godfather of your unborn child?"

"Why yes!"

"Peri, why me?"

"Because I trusted you with my life. I think I can trust you with my child's."

The Doctor was at an absolute loss for words. Which considering it was hard to get him to shut up, it was a big deal. No matter all the times that the two of them argued and got on each other's nerves, Peri trusted him.

"I do have a question for you though," Peri said, interrupting the silence between them. "What happened back on Thoros Beta that caused you to just disappear like you did?"

He should've known that would be brought up. "It wasn't my fault. I normally would've never left you like I did. But it was the Time Lords, they pulled me out and they placed me on trial for meddling around in time. Technically all this exploring around like I'm doing is forbidden."

"You're not in trouble are you?"

"No, I managed to get out of that little spat."

"Of course you did, how silly of me to be worried about it."

"Is there a godmother to go along with the godfather?"

"That's not technically what they're called here, Doctor. And no. That is, unless you've managed to gain a wife since we've been gone. Who knows how many years it's been for you."

"No, no. No wife," he lied. There was no chance he was going to rope his wife into this. Gosh, he hadn't actually seen her in centuries. Actually, sometimes he actually forgot that she even existed.

"That's what I thought."

"Well, hello, Doctor," came another voice.

"Oh, Yrcanos, haven't seen you in a while," the Doctor greeted, holding out his hand. Yrcanos took it in a handshake. Well good, the Doctor thought, they knew what one was. If not, that could've been embarassing.

"See, I told you he'd come," Peri told her husband.

"And right you were," Yrcanos responded. "All the preparation for tonight is going well. When you come tonight, Doctor, everything you'll see has all been thought up of by Peri herself. It's a tradition that expecting mothers are the ones to put together how the annoucement will be made. After all, they are the ones who have the child inside them."

"Right, right. Well, I can't wait to see it all then."

\------------

That evening, the Doctor decided to spend some time mingling with different Kronteps. They seemed like such a fascinating race, and the best way to learn about them was to get it first hand.

They all dressed in nice shades of golds, greys, and forest greens (which later he found out were the colors of Yrcanos's family and thus considered royal colors), but yet the material was still functional for in battle. You never knew when an attack may happen, and as a warrior society, being prepared was not an option but a necessity.

The Doctor was talking to an elder named Skav currently. He had so many exciting tales to tell about the many different battles he had been in. As the Doctor took a drink of something that wasn't quite champagne but certainly looked like it, he noticed something from the corner of his eye. Yrcanos was standing off to the side talking to someone who really shouldn't have been invited to this little party.

"Excuse me, Skav, I hate to leave during the middle of your riveting account of the Battle of Kantor, but there is someone that I need to go talk to urgently."

"Oh, that's okay, I was probably talking on too much anyways, Doctor."

The Doctor sauntered over with an air of frustration. "What are _you_ doing here, Master?"

"Master?" Yrcanos asked. "You said you were close with the Doctor, Mr. Ates, but I didn't think-"

"Excuse me," the Master interrupted, "I'm going to need to speak with the Doctor alone." He pulled the technicolored Time Lord away from Yrcanos and went off to a darkened corner of the room.

"Let me repeat my question, Master. What are you doing here?"

"Negotiating. Recently I was given some advice. Turns out it can be much easier to conquer planets if you just sit and talk it out compared to some of the more outlandish schemes I've been attempting lately. I've already got three on my belt."

"You want to take over this planet?"

"But of course! The warrior race of the Kronteps! To have them under my control would do wonders."

"You know they aren't as capable as, say, the Sontarans."

"I know that, Doctor, but it would be suicide to try to negotiate with those potato heads. It was hard work to get this body, I'm not going to waste it."

"I want you to stay away from this planet, Master. Go find another set of warriors, I don't care, just not these."

"Oh, do you hold a special connection with these people?"

A bang of a large gong came from the front of the room, and all the chatter between the guests suddenly faded away and everyone faced towards the little platform that served as a stage. "Esteemed guests, I would like to welcome you to this memorable occasion."

"Perpugilliam Brown," the Master spoke quietly. "I didn't know your girlfriend was the queen. Of course, it all makes sense now. And here I thought you had came here just to foil me."

"Please, you know I stumble into you more than I actively search for you. And she was never my _girlfriend_. And did you know that in their society, a deal like the one you're propositioning has to be unanimous between both the king and queen?"

The Master glared at the Doctor. "What are you saying?"

"Oh, nothing, just that Peri will very much remember who you are and won't want anything to do with any sort of negotation you have to make. If you want to rule the Kronteps, it won't be like this."

"Damn."

"Please, stick around, I'm sure Peri will _love_ to see you again."

"Oh, look at that, I must be leaving. But I will be back with a new strategy, just watch."

"I'm sure you will be."

The Doctor couldn't believe it was that simple. In fact, he had probably told a lie. He didn't know if that was truly the case. And instead of rushing off to Yrcanos to check, the Master just believed him. "What an idiot."

\-----

Later that night, when the big celebration had come to an end, the Doctor pulled in Peri for a big hug. "I'm so happy for you," he whispered to her.

"Thanks, Doctor."

"You know, when I heard you had become a Warrior Queen, I was a little surprised. It didn't seem like you. But watching you up there, working the crowd tonight, you're a natural. Oh, and before I head off, because you know I can't stay forever, watch out. The Master showed his face tonight."

"The Master?"

"Yeah, him. He has plans to take over this planet, use this whole race of warriors to his advantage. I figured Her Majesty might need to know. Get the troops rallied up against that renegade."

Peri winked at him. "You've got it."

"Good. I'll try to be here for the birth of little Whatever-His-Or-Her-Name-Will-Be, but you know the TARDIS. I'm not always punctual."

"I dunno, she seemed to get you here."

"That is true. Til next time, Peri?"

"Til next time."


End file.
